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Clearway Energy Group has hired five recent graduates of the Wind Energy Technology program at �����鶹��Ʒ���� in Moorefield. The five new wind techs will support the operations and maintenance of Clearway’s new 115-megawatt Black Rock Wind Farm near Elk Garden and its 54-megawatt Pinnacle Wind Farm near Keyser. Pinnacle was repowered just this year with new turbine technology.

Along with Clearway’s 240-megawatt Mount Storm Wind Farm, Clearway is now the largest owner-operator of wind farms in the Mountain State, having invested nearly $460 million this year alone.

The five new Clearway wind techs are:

    •    Andrew Cosner, 20, of Petersburg

    •    Ian Guckavan, 22, of Moorefield

    •    Austin Locklear, 22, of Petersburg

    •    Logan Reel, 24, of Keyser

    •    Tyler Simmons, 21, of Keyser

“We are excited to welcome five new wind techs into the Clearway family who were hired right here from the local community,” said Doug Vance, Clearway’s plant manager for Black Rock and Pinnacle.

“Our wind energy sites do more than just power homes and businesses, they are also economic engines for the region, creating hundreds of construction jobs as well as long-term operations jobs. �����鶹��Ʒ���� has been a great partner for Clearway and we look forward to expanding that partnership with an apprenticeship program next spring.”

One of the new wind techs, Logan Reel, was hired through Clearway’s West Virginia Wind Energy Apprenticeship Program, which helps workers displaced from the coal industry (as well as their family members) find new employment opportunities in renewable energy.  

“I grew up looking at the turbines on the mountains in the area and found them inspirational,” said Reel, who grew up in Moorefield. “Wind turbines are a step in the right direction towards a better future. Working in the renewable energy field has given me the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself.”

�����鶹��Ʒ���� offers a two-year associate degree in applied science as well as a one-year certificate option for students looking to work in the renewable energy industry. Students in the Wind Energy Technology program learn the skills necessary to service and troubleshoot modern wind power generation equipment while acquiring the background knowledge needed to advance their careers in the power generation field. �����鶹��Ʒ���� has also designed its programs to comply with all American Clean Power Association (ACPA) standards and capitalize on West Virginia’s position as a new leader in the wind industry.

“We are delighted that Clearway has chosen to partner with �����鶹��Ʒ���� and deepen its roots in the Mountain State,” said Curtis Hakala, dean of teaching and learning at �����鶹��Ʒ����. “As West Virginia continues to diversify and strengthen its economy, it’s wonderful to be able to offer programs that provide students the tools to work in this innovative industry and help them secure good-paying jobs close to home.”

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About Clearway Energy Group:

Clearway Energy Group is leading the transition to a world powered by clean energy. Along with our public affiliate Clearway Energy, Inc., we own and operate over 7.5 gigawatts of renewable and conventional energy assets across the country. As we develop a nationwide pipeline of new renewable energy projects for the future, Clearway’s 5 gigawatts of wind, solar, and energy storage assets offset the equivalent of nearly 8.8 million metric tons of carbon emissions for our customers today. Clearway Energy Group is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in Carlsbad, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Houston, TX; and Princeton, NJ. For more information, visit .

Media Contact:
Dan Hendrick
Head of External Affairs – East
(917) 207-8715, dan.hendrick@clearwayenergy.com

About �����鶹��Ʒ����:

�����鶹��Ʒ���� West Virginia Community & Technical College is an institution of higher learning accredited through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.�� Nestled in the mountains of the Potomac Highlands, �����鶹��Ʒ���� has been serving the educational needs of our communities throughout Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Pendleton, and Tucker counties for over 20 years. To learn more about �����鶹��Ʒ����’s Wind Energy Technology program, visit easternwv.edu/academics/wind-energy-technology.

Media Contact:
Morgan Branson
morgan.branson@easternwv.edu